UNEP’s Regional Representative, Margarita Astrálaga, asserted that Latin America and the Caribbean will become the first developing and emerging region in phasing out incandescent lamps and obtain the financial and climate benefits of this transition. She also committed to bring the “Santo Domingo Declaration” to the Environment Ministers meeting in January 2012.
The Comisión Nacional de Energia (CNE) Minister, Enrique Ramirez, closed the conference by announcing that the Dominican Republic’s Presidential Palace has committed to remove all of their incandescent lamps and replace them with LEDs. CNE will lead the way in demonstrating the government’s commitment to efficiency and to act as an example for the private sector and consumers. He also advocated that all Energy Ministers in Latin America and the Caribbean join the en.lighten partnership and adopt the “Santo Domingo Declaration” to achieve the phase-out of incandescent lamps in Latin America and Caribbean countries before the end of 2015.
For more information about en.lighten Initiative, visit: www.enlighten-initiative.org
Notes:
Key Lighting Facts:
- The Dominican Republic will save $ 109 million per year and the equivalent emissions of 100,000 cars if incandescent lamps were phased out. Many of the country’s supply problems and regular “black outs” could be avoided.
- It is expected that Brazil will save $ 2 billion a year and 4 million tonnes of CO2 – the equivalent emissions from 1 million cars – when legislation in the country is finalized, by mid 2012.
- Ecuador will save $ 46 million USD per year and cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 300,000 tonnes of CO2 annually – the equivalent of taking 75,000 cars off the road a year by switching to energy saving bulbs.
- Using current economic and energy-efficiency trends, it is projected that global demand for artificial light will be 60% higher by 2030 if no switch occurs.
- The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated in 2007, the total electricity consumption due to lighting at 2650 TWh. This represents almost 19% of global electricity use (15-17% greater than nuclear or hydro power).
- The total global GHG emissions accrued to lighting electricity consumption was estimated in 2005 by the IEA at 1,889 Mt CO2 of which grid-based lighting systems contribute to 1,528 Mt CO2. This is equivalent to approximately 8% of world emissions or 70% of the world passenger vehicle emissions.
- Up to 95% of the energy emitted by incandescent lamps is heat, and their efficiency is inherently low. In comparison, incandescent bulbs last around 1,000 hours which is significantly shorter than energy saving lamps which can last up to 12,000 hours. CFLs can now also be dimmed.
- Like all fluorescent lamps, CFLs contain mercury, which complicates their disposal. Mercury is a hazardous substance in fluorescent lamps. en.lighten will support countries in setting up sustainable end of life approaches for spent lamps.
- The average mercury content in a CFL bulb is about 3 milligrams – roughly the amount it would take to cover the tip of a ball-point pen. By comparison, older thermometers contain 500 milligrams of mercury – the equivalent of more than 100 CFLs.
- Experts emphasize that mercury is also emitted from coal-fired power stations. Studies indicate that the level of emissions from power stations linked with lighting the world’s old bulbs are far higher than those linked with the disposal of energy efficient bulbs.
- Solid State Lighting (SSL) technology is expected to achieve efficiencies at least ten times higher than incandescent lamps and up to twice as high as fluorescent lamps. Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps, aside from not containing mercury have other advantages such as long life, warm light colour similar to incandescent lamps and low heat generation.
Source: UNEP.
